Demand for electric supply equipment is growing as the desire to reduce the global dependency on fossil fuels increases. As technology related to electric motors advances, more and more electric motors replace combustion engines. This effect has already begun in the automotive industry. Today, hybrid and electric vehicles are becoming increasingly popular. Accordingly, demand for supplying these vehicles with electric power is rising.
To meet this demand, individuals and corporations have been increasing production and installation of electrical vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), also referred to as charging stations. Among other components, this equipment typically includes a cable (also referred to as a cord set) for delivering an electric supply from a power supply source to the electric vehicle. To perform this function, the cable is commonly built using large cross section copper conductors because copper conductors are usually satisfactory for delivering the power required to charge electric vehicles.
For user convenience, these cables may be multiple feet, or even meters, in length so as to extend from the EVSE to an electric vehicle. That is, the cable may be designed so that it is long enough to reach a user's vehicle so that the user can charge his/her vehicle. Accordingly, the cable may contain a significant amount of valuable conductive material, such as copper. Thus, the cable of the EVSE may be subject to theft.
Further, EVSEs may be particularly vulnerable to theft because they may be installed in numerous locations. That is, the EVSEs may be spread out over a large area, instead of being grouped together. Therefore, it may be especially difficult for an owner or operator to monitor multiple EVSEs.
Accordingly, new systems and methodologies are required to protect against cable theft and improve the user friendliness, safety, and cost of ownership of electric supply equipment, such as electric vehicle supply equipment.